Table 4.

Effect of HPV detection method on the effect size in maximum likelihood meta-regression

Study-level covariates HPV detection method	No. of studies (homogeneity p-value)**	Effect size*		Difference in effect size estimates
		Point estimate	95% CI	Difference in point estimates	95% CI
IHC	1 (p = 1.000)	0.833	0.194–0.990	1.000
ISH	9 (p = 0.038)	0.534	0.232–0.812	0.5551	0.393–0.717
PCR	5 (p = 0.366)	0.391	0.252–0.549	0.6072	0.473–0.741
Meta-regression for all methods	Slope: –0.409 (95% CI: –0.968–0.148) (p = 0.150): Intercept: 2.389 (95% CI: –1.327–6.107) (p = 0.207)
ISH	9 (p = 0.038)	0.534	0.232–0.812	1.000
PCR	5 (p = 0.366)	0.391	0.252–0.549	0.0523	–0.158–0.262
Meta-regression (ISH/PCR)	Slope: –0.386 (95% CI: –1.469–0.697) (p = 0.484): Intercept: 2.231 (95% CI: –5.062–9.525) (p = 0.548)

^*Random effects model

^**Cochran's Q; IHC, immunohistochemistry

¹p = 0.126

²p = 0.087

³p = 0.626

ISH – in situ hybridization, PCR – polymerase chain reaction, Slope; effect parameter (= regression coefficient β₁), Intercept (= coefficient β₀)